Page:The crater; or, Vulcan's peak.djvu/358

118 THE CRATER; that the new-comers were of excellent materials ; being, without exception, young, healthful, moral, and all pos sessed of more or less substance, in the way of worldly goods. This accession to the colony brought its popula tion up to rather more than five hundred souls, of which number, however, near a hundred and fifty were children, or, under the age of fourteen years. Glad enough were the new-comers to land at a little set tlement which had been made on the island which lay abreast of the roads, and where, indeed, there was a very convenient harbour, did vessels choose to use it. The roads, however, had excellent anchorage, and were per fectly protected against the prevailing winds of that region. Only once, indeed, since the place was inhabited, had the wind been known to blow on shore at that point; and then only during a brief squall. In general, the place was every way favourable for the arrival and departure of ship ping, the trades making a leading breeze both in going and coming as, indeed, they did all the way to and from the Reef. A long-headed emigrant, of the name of Dunks, had foreseen the probable, future, importance of this outer harbour, and had made such an arrangement with the council, as to obtain leave for himself and three or four of his connections to exchange the land they had drawn, against an equal quantity in this part of the group. The arrangement was made, and this little, out-lying colo ny had now been established an entire season. As the spot was a good deal exposed to an invasion, a stone dwell ing had been erected, that was capable of accommodating the whole party, and pickets were placed around it in such a way as to prove an ample defence against any at tempt to carry the work by assault. The governor had lent them a field-piece, and it was thought the whole dis position was favourable to the security of the colony, since no less than eleven combatants could be mustered here to repel invasion. The immigrants, as usual, found everything charming, when their feet touched terra firma. The crops did look well, and the island being covered with mud, the sand had done wonders for the vegetation. It is true that trees were wanting, though the pickets, or palisades, being of willow,